Brother's Promise
by arlena.ferrell
Summary: Prequel to Brother's Mistake. What happened to make the brother's promise to protect Mikey.


I don't own TMNT .

Dedicated to** Smile-I'm The End Of All That You ****See** and colonel duckie.

**Brother's Promise**

Leo, Raph, and Donnie are all 13, but Mikey is still 12. His birthday is still quite a few months away in December and it was like July. Leo's was in January and Raph and Don both celebrated in June, for some reason they considered themselves to be twins. Well unfortunately this made Mikey the youngest, so his bros always got to do things before him. They got to explore the sewers by themselves now, Mikey could only go with them or Splinter but never alone.

Mikey was curious and wanted to explore the sewers too. Master Splinter was away on one of his mysterious trips he takes every now and then. Leo was the first to leave the lair unbeknownst to his brothers; he was the leader he didn't have to answer to them. So he left and went exploring a tunnel that led straight across from the lair. Raph left about 10 minutes after Leo did, he only answered to his dad, who wasn't home, and figured he could do what ever he wanted to do. He went left. Donnie not knowing his older bros left, left the lair about 10 minutes after Raph did leaving Mikey all alone at the lair, and that is the one thing that they weren't supposed to do. Donnie went right.

Mikey wakes up from his nap in his and Donnie's room, realizing that his bros isn't in their room he gets up and goes to Donnie's lab. Donnie isn't there either. He checks the dojo for Leo and Raph they usually spar at this time of the day. When he enters the room nobody's in there. He searches the whole lair and can't find anyone. I know where daddy is he's on one of his retreats as he calls them, but where are my brothers, Mikey thinks as he starts to cry. They left me alone; they don't want me anymore do they. Well that's fine I'll just leave and never come back. They won't miss me since they all left me. With that Mikey left he chooses a tunnel between the ones Leo and Raph went down.

An hour and a half later Leo, Raph, and Don all show up at the door to the lair at the same time. They looked at each other in shock. Then they all noticed on thing and in unison said, "We left Mikey alone." The brothers ran into the lair and began searching it. They all searched the same rooms together. When they covered the entire lair they realized that he was not there. "What have we done", they all said.

Donnie panicked, "Where is he, where did he go?"

Raph responded, "He's probably in the sewer."

Leo, "We have to find him."

They all knew that there was only one way he could have gone. That was into the tunnel between the ones that Raph and Leo took when the left. Donnie got a flashlight for each of them, and in a bag he put first aid supplies, a blanket, water, and some food. Raph smirked we don't even know what shape we will find him in. Leo, "Let's move out, and find Mikey."

They walked out of the lair and started down the tunnel that they were hoping Mikey was down. After walking for an hour they stumbled upon a panda bear that Splinter gave Mikey for his birthday when he turned 3, now this scared them all they knew that he would never leave this behind no matter what which meant something happened to their baby bro. Donnie picks it up and cuddles it close to him scared about what they may find, Raph puts a hand on his shoulder both look at Leo, Donnie asks, "Will we…", "…find Mikey ok?", Raph finishes. Leo smiles, "Yeah we will."

Donnie just nods his head with tears in his eyes, "We should…have made…sure one…of us…was home." All Raph and Leo could do was nod in agreement.

They continuously walked deeper into the tunnel. Another hour in and they all realized that they hadn't found Mikey yet. Or any signs for that matter, but the tunnel went straight ahead with no turn offs. Donnie began crying harder at this point. Raph wrapped his arm around Don's shoulder to comfort him, and Leo came and hugged them both. Raph looked over to the side and something bright caught his attention, he reached over to pull it off the wall and gasped, and with a quiver in his voice, "Mikey's bandana." Raph pulled it close to his body the same as Donnie did with the panda. "Let's continue guys we need to find Mikey", Leo said and the others nodded.

As they continued on Leo kept in the lead. This is my fault, I should have told my brothers that I was leaving, and if I did that we wouldn't have lost Mikey. He would be at home safe and warm, I guess there is more to being the eldest and the leader than getting to do what I want to do. I have a responsibility to my younger brothers especially Mikey. I really messed up I shouldn't have left the lair.

Raph was going through his own inner turmoil at the same time. I should have checked to see if someone was home before I left what if I was the last to leave. Mikey's my baby brother, my responsibility and I ignored it. I should have been there for him and then he wouldn't be lost. He wouldn't be alone right now if I had just stayed, but no I had to be selfish and do what I wanted.

My baby was left all alone at home and now he is in the sewers alone, Donnie thought. I'm usually not this careless with my family especially Mikey. I can't believe I just left without telling anyone that I was going out. If he's hurt I'll never forgive myself for it. Oh Mikey where are you baby bro?

They walked for another two hours before they noticed a funny liquid on the floor. Donnie knelt down and stuck his finger in it, brought it to his nose to smell it, and gulped he knew this smell recognized when he and his bros got hurt. "Hey guys this is blood."

"WHAT?"

They moved their flashlights around quickly before they spotted a bulky shape on the floor just out of the light's reach. They slowly walked forward until Raph recognized the form and ran forward dropping to his knees. He went to reach for his brother but stopped something wasn't right. He soon noticed Mikey was shaking. As Donnie came closer Raph took the blanket out of his bag and wrapped it around Mikey and picked him up. Mikey whimpered.

"Hey Donnie needs to check him out."

"He can when we get home Mikey's freezing."

"Raph's right we need to get him home now."

They ran as fast as they could to get back home. What took four hours to accomplish finding their youngest, took only two hours it seemed but they were running the second time around. Raph rushed to take Mikey to their living room to lay him down on the couch. Leo ran to get the first aid supplies and blankets. Donnie went after his medical books. When Don and Leo returned to the living Don slowly uncovered Mikey who had began warming up on their way home. All three gasped at the state that their baby brother was in. His right leg was broken and the bone was popping out, he had a small bump on his head, and a fractured wrist. Donnie's first task was his little bros leg, he was thankful that Mikey didn't lose a lot of blood. Slowly he shoved the bone back into place causing a whimper from Mikey.

"Sorry bro I can't keep it from hurting just yet."

Donnie prepared needle and thread to sew the wound shut. He stitched it shut as quickly as possible to keep his brother from feeling a lot of pain. After he had sewn it shut he quickly cleaned Mikey's leg off, Donnie put it in a cast that he could open up and check on the stitches. The next thing was Mike's arm that was broken and also had the fractured wrist on it. He gently began to brace Mikey's arm in a cast, Mikey whimpered and cried the whole time but didn't wake up. It took Don about 3 to 4 hours to take care of Mikey.

"All done", he told Raph and Leo.

"Donnie why isn't he awake?"

"Well Raph I'm gonna say it's because of the bump."

"Why haven't you given him anything for the pain yet?"

"I don't remember what dad gives him and how much, Leo."

All three sigh, "This is our fault."

"We can't let this happen again, he is the baby, and our responsibility."

All three look at each other and nod, this would be the last time they would speak of it, and they knew from here on out it would be an unspoken rule between the three of them to protect their baby brother from any and all harm, even each other. Leo stood and put his hand out, Raph followed him and did the same, and lastly Donnie walked and joined them. The three stood there, in a circle, hands on top of each other, and staring at each other all with the same look of determination in their eyes. From here on out they thought we will protect him, and with that they grinned. It was their rule, unspoken to anyone but them, and no one would know but them.

"My sons I am home early."

"Dad?!"

Splinter walked in and seen Mikey, "What has happened?"

"We all left and didn't make sure someone was here and we all left Mikey alone."

"Daddy?"

"Yes Michelangelo."

"Do my brothers hate me is that the reason they left me."

"No my son they made a mistake and thought someone was here, but do not worry just sleep for now."

"My sons your punishment will be that you may not go into the sewers alone until I say so, your bed time will come sooner, and extra practice during the week."

"Yes Sensei."

All three thought at least he woke up. Splinter picked Mikey up to put into bed, and the others looked at each other with a nod, and they followed him not letting their little brother out of their sight.


End file.
